Connecticut Postings

From the arts desk . . .

Because of  complications resulting from last weekend’s Tropical Storm Irene, the Fairfield Museum announced this afternoon that the opening of  its 9/11 commemorative exhibition will be delayed by a few days.

In Thursday’s Go section, which was printed prior to the announcement, an article on Page 16 pointed out that events would run from Sept. 3-18 at the museum at 370 Beach Road. They now will run from Tuesday, Sept. 6, through Sept. 18.

Featured will be a small collection of photographs taken by Westporter Stephen Wilkes at Ground Zero, following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. The museum also clarified another point:  The commemoration will include an ABRIDGED version of the Connecticut Historical Society’s traveling show that pays tribute to the 153 men, women and children from Connecticut who lost their lives, as well as the state residents who responded to the tragedy. 

A Sunday, Sept. 11, interfaith service, at 3 p.m.,  in memory of those who perished, will proceed as planned.

The museum is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekends noon to 4 p.m. Admission will be free for all Sept. 6-18.

For additional information, call 203-259-1598; www.fairfieldhs.org.

STRATFORD — After 16 years of operation, the financially strapped Garbage Museum will close today.

The Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority board voted this morning to shut down the home of the famed Trash-o-saurus, a dinosaur sculpted from one ton of garbage, after falling $32,000 short of reaching a $100,000 fundraising goal.

The museum, which in 2010 provided educational services to 30,708 adults and children through museum visits and outreach programs, has an annual operating cost of about $300,000. But the museum’s pockets are currently only about $60,000 deep, excluding $68,000 in commitments the board was able to garner this summer from local municipalities and corporations, said CRRA spokesman Paul Nonnenmacher.

“There’s just not enough money to keep it going,” Nonnenmacher said.

Historically, the 16-year-old museum has been funded by the Southwest Connecticut Recycling Committee, a group of 19 local municipalities that trucked recyclables to the regional recycling facility and helped support the museum through deposit fees. But in 2009, several of those cities and towns pulled out of the group and began sending their recyclables elsewhere. Funding for the museum plummeted.

At the time, CRRA said the museum would likely close. But, until now, it survived on new funding sources, including a $2 fee for entry into the museum.

“The museum is a building with a a lot of interesting stuff in it, but the reason that it works so well is because of the staff,”  Nonnenmacher said. “They have been doing everything they can think of to try to keep the museum going. They have hung in there even though they knew that their jobs were in jeopardy. They could have gone out and found other jobs, but they stuck with us. That kind of dedication and loyalty is what made the museum great.”

Stephen Edwards, the only CRRA board member to vote against closing the museum Thursday morning, said he is hopeful more funding will surface over the next year and the museum will be able to reopen.

“We’re essentially going to just mothball (the exhibits) right now,” said Edwards, who is also chairman the Southwest Connecticut Recycling Committee and director of the Westport Public Works Department. “There’s no immediate need to liquidate anything. We’re going to shut the lights, close the doors and go out and try to find more funds.”

He added, “I haven’t found anyone who doesn’t think this is a worthwhile endeavor. It’s just that times are tough.”

The Bridgeport Theatre Company’s current fundraising drive is thiiiiissss close to success. Or utter failure. Their Kickstarter campaign, as of this writing, has attracted 51 backers who all together have pledged $4,370 of the BTC’s $5,000 goal.

But if you know how Kickstarter works, you know that if they don’t reach that $5,000 goal by deadline, poof! goes all that money, and the BTC gets nothing.

They have five days to fill that deficit, or the poof! scenario plays out.

Checkout the Kickstarter link to see the incentives the troupe is offering. There are the normal rewards, like tickets and autographs, but for $1,000 you get a walk-on role in the production of “Hairspray.”

Deductions are tax deductible.

Press release:

The Square One Theatre Company will hold open auditions for its 22nd Anniversary 2011-2012 season on Tuesday, September 6 at the Stratford Library, 2203 Main Street in Stratford.   Auditions will be held in the Lovell Room of the library from 6-8 pm.

The theatre will begin its 22nd anniversary season in November with Donald Margulies’ latest comedy/drama, “Time Stands Still”.  Other productions planned by the theatre include Mark St. Germaine’s off-Broadway hit “Freud’s Last Session” and Nora and Delia Ephron’s hilarious look at women’s fashion through the years, “Love, Loss and What I Wore”.  The season continues through May 2011.  Plat titles are subject to change pending rights.                                

Actors are requested to prepare a brief, 1-2 minute (strictly enforced!) monologue of their choice for the September 6^th audition and to bring a current resume/photo.  The theatre also casts for its annual Readers Theatre Showcase series at this time.  Performers will be heard on a first-come, first-served basis.  The theatre is in particular need of African-American actresses this year.  No appointments will be taken. This will be the only general call the theatre will be holding this season.            

For further information, call the Square One Theatre Company at 203.375.8778 or visit its website: www.squareonetheatre.com.

Press release:

The Town of Stratford and Festival! Stratford 2011 have announced that volunteers are needed to assist with the Sixth Annual summer arts festival to be held on the grounds of the American (Shakespeare) Festival Theatre, 1850 Elm Street from Thursday, August 11 to Sunday, August 21, 2011.

The town is seeking volunteers for this event to assist with ushering, parking management, staffing, vending, donations/raffle and main stage support. Organizers expect an increased demand for volunteers this year and are asking for upwards of 29 volunteers to assist with each performance.

The festival will include the following performances on the grounds of the American Festival (Shakespeare) Theatre:

• A Midsummer Night’s Dream, produced by Shakesperience Productions, Inc.
• Tymon of Athens, produced by the Hudson Shakespeare Company
• Quickies in the Park, produced by SquareWrights
• Shakespeare in the Garden, by The Players at Putney Gardens
• Dr. Joe Utterbach and the Sister Cities Chorus
• Broadway Meets the Bard, hosted by Mark Goldstein and featuring Broadway’s Jerold Goldstein, Annie Edgerton & more!
• Bridgeport Theatre Company
• Temple Players
• … and so much more!

A complete schedule of performances can be seen at  http://festivalstratford.org/

To volunteer, please contact Town Planner Dave Killeen at 203.385.4017 or dkilleen@townofstratford.com.  Visit  http://festivalstratford.org/  for complete schedule information for the Festival.

Director Jose Ramos will release his independent  film, “Lights Out”, at 9 p.m. Friday, July 29 and Saturday, July 30 at 2422 Main Street in Stratford.

The event will include dual showings of the film, produced by Stratford Town Studios.

Press release:

Movie Description: On August 14, 2003 NYC City experienced a moment of total darkness!  For two simple Bronx kids the moment of total darkness was a long time question that finally came to light. A childhood friend seeks to find help from a Wall Street private detective to help resolve the death of a long time friend, whom died in Bronx New York City on August 14, 2003 the day of the New York City Blackout.  Movie transition from late 1970’s to future 2012.  The movie has symbolic meaning about the death and the “Lights” going “Out” in New York City in 2003.  “Lights Out” is a very inspiring movie….!!!

About Stratford Town Studios: Stratford Town Studios (www.stratfordtownstudios.com) is a music/filming production company experts in the field of quality music/film production Stratford Town Studios is based in Stratford, CT they are a mobile film company. Stratford Town Studios is the first independent film company to put out a featured film in the Town of Stratford.  This film group is backed up by many of the business owners in Stratford (McCoy’s Pub, Goody Bassett’s Ice Cream, Acapulco Mexican Restaurant, Blue Point Grill, also the Towns Economic Development Office) as they work together with cross promoting.  As a collaborated group with one spirit in mind their goals are “To Make The Town of Stratford a “Film Town” and to establish the town as the leading film industry in the United States East Coast.

Currently, film Director/Producer Jose Ramos is working with Mayor John A. Harkins and Mr. Bruce Alessie from the office of Economic Development by filming and directing a series of business commercials to aid the town with their economic development.  This featured film by Director/Producer Jose Ramos will be the first historical independent film released in the Town of Stratford that will launch in Stratford, CT an annual film festival sponsored and managed by Stratford Town Studios.

Press release:

Shakesperience Productions, Inc. is pleased to announce Theatre Camp for students age 7-17 on the grounds of the Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford, CT.  Two students will be offered scholarships to attend the classes at no charge, thanks to a donation from the Stratford Junior Women’s Club.

This summer’s Theatre Camp will be Shakespeare in Performance 301: Henry V, and will coincide with this year’s Festival!Stratford.  In all classes, students explore various acting techniques and styles using the Shakesperience Approach.  Taught by Shakesperience’s professional Resident Artists, each class will focus on creating action through language while developing a positive ensemble.  Camp will run from 9-3, August 15-19, and will culminate in a presentation of scenes from Henry V to be shared with family, friends, and festival-goers on Sunday, August 21^st.

Shakesperience is returning for a third year of Festival!Stratford on the grounds of the Shakespeare Festival Theater, this time with the comedy favorite, A Midsummer Night’s Dream.  The cast of the company’s most veteran professionals and special guest artists will materialize to portray Shakespeare’s tale of mistaken identity, of good intentions gone awry, of mystical forces and their effects on mortal life, and of love won and lost and won again.  Artistic Director Emily Mattina balances this production in the mysterious territory between dreams and reality.  The production cross-fades through the confining order and structure of the Athenian court, the lawlessness of the forest, and the disconcerting randomness of the dream state.  In true Shakesperience fashion, the audience for A Midsummer Night’s Dream is included in the magic as an essential player in our scenes.

For more information on scholarships, tuition, or registration please visit www.shakesperience.org.  In the Waterbury area, please contact Shakesperience at 203-754-2531.  For those located in or around Stratford, call 203-394-2751.

SJW is a volunteer organization of women of all ages who donate their time and financial and moral support for the betterment of their community. They are a part of the larger, state-wide organization, Connecticut Junior Women (CJW). Visit our website at www.stratfordjuniors.org for more information about the club. 

Shakesperience is a professional theater company located in Connecticut that reaches a Northeast audience of adults and students alike with School and Public Theatre Tours, Saturday and Private Acting Classes, Summer Camps, Residencies, and outdoor and in-studio performances.  To find information on these programs visit the Shakesperience web site at www.shakesperience.org, or find us on Facebook.

The Town of Stratford will host Blues on the Beach, a family-friendly music festival at Short Beach Park, from 3 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, July 30. The event is free and open to the public.